healthcare marketing

How to Perfectly Match Content to Patient Life-Cycles

Published

11 years ago

March 5, 2013

Let’s face it.

Healthcare organizations (HCO’s) have a ton of content although not all of it is made publicly available for patient consumption and education.

As healthcare marketers start to think about their content strategy, the question becomes how to leverage all that content for lead nurturing, engagement, and eventually encouraging new patients to make and keep appointments.

The answer is as simple as for any other industry. Match specific content to the relevant stage of a patient’s life cycle.

For the purpose of content marketing a patient’s life-cycle has four to five stages.

#1. Awareness

This is when a person first becomes aware that they have an illness. Awareness comes about either through self-diagnosis (e.g. checking your symptoms on WebMD) or through medical testing (e.g. taking a plasma glucose test for Type 2 diabetes)

#2. Consultation

If an illness is serious enough, a person will consult their primary care doctor to confirm their diagnosis and start on a treatment plan.

#3. Treatment or patient care

An illness may require a patient to be admitted to a hospital for a period of time. Other times medical treatment does not require an overnight stay in a hospital. However outpatient care is still administered either from a medical office or an outpatient center.

#4. Hospital discharge

If a patient had been admitted, discharge is the point at which he or she leaves the hospital and returns home or is transferred to another facility. At this point medical follow-up is still necessary to ensure a successful recovery.

#5. Aftercare

This is the road to recovery where a patient’s care is usually returned to their regular primary care physician who treated them prior to hospitalization. (Caution: This is the point where transfer of information and hence communication could be jeopardized between the hospital doctor and the primary doctor).

Create content for each stage

Now that you know the different stages of a patient’s life cycle the objective is to create content that resonates with them at exactly the point where they are. For example, a patient who has just discovered that she has breast cancer does not need to join an online support group for ‘cancer survivors’ – she’s not there yet.

So let’s see what kind of content resonates with patients at each stage of the patient life-cycle.

1. Awareness

The first thing a patient will do at this stage is search for relevant information about the illness or possible treatments. HCO’s should focus on two things. Search and educational content (blogs).

I recently interviewed several nurses for a client project that I’m currently working on. One of things that kept coming up was their observation that more and more patients are starting their healthcare information search on Google (as opposed to a particular health website). Make sure that your content is highly optimized using these tips. Patients at this stage will also need:

A health blog
Health information tabs on the navigation bar of your homepage (by topic, by key word, and so on)
Newsletters and free guides to help them discover new resources and tips
The ability to search on your site via a search box

Take a look at how Cleveland Clinic does it:

2. Consultation

At this stage a person will either schedule an appointment with their own doctor or search for a doctor online or offline. If you’re a hospital marketer then you will have a ‘Find a doctor’ tab on your website. It may look something like this:

In terms of content patients at this stage may also need:

Easy-to-read physician blog posts and resources.
Printable FAQ’s or ‘Questions to Ask Your Doctor’ – patients may want to print out this information and bring it to their doctor’s appointment.
Video patient testimonials – to hear other patients’ stories , learn and be encouraged from their experiences.
In-person educational events for both patients and caregivers (where therapeutic patient education is provided)
A mobile app with a brief index of topics to provide quick information
A Facebook or Twitter page for curated content and to provide a more approachable environment for discussions.

3. Treatment

At this stage a patient is preparing for treatment which could be a scary experience if surgery, chemotheraphy or other ‘risky’ treatment methods are involved. Patients will need to a lot of empathy, support and encouragement. Here are some content types that could be useful:

An online patient forum for idea-sharing and communication between patients and physicians
A social media community for informal interaction with others affected or impacted by the same condition.
Podcasts, talk-radio shows, and videos to help uplift and encourage patients.

4. Discharge and Aftercare

When a patient leaves hospital they may feel tired or groggy and will just want to rest. This is where content could be focused more on the care-giver than the patient. A care giver could benefit from the following forms of content:

Printable guides and resources to help care for the patient
Online support such as Tweet chats, Google Communities or weekly Google Hangouts for supporting and encouraging caregivers.
A playlist (on HCO’s website, Spotify or other platform) of relaxing music to listen to, or videos to watch.
Newsletters to keep both patient and caregiver informed about new trends, topics and technology.
A blog with resources and tips about caring for a loved one

Quick Wrap up

Providing relevant content to patients means that healthcare content marketers should adopt a highly patient-centric perspective in terms of ‘what would I want to know at this stage?’

The answers might vary depending on demographics, culture, digital capabilities and so on. However you can send out a survey to find out what kind of content resonates with patients during their journey to wellness. Alternatively you could also interview patient-facing staff such as nurses, call-center reps , social workers and others who spend more time than anyone else interacting with patients.

Over to you: What did I miss? What other content types is your HCO using to target patients at different stages of the patient life-cycle?

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healthcare marketing

The Top 10 Healthcare Marketing Strategies

Published

2 years ago

November 8, 2022

Patricia Redsicker

The healthcare industry is ever-changing, and so is healthcare marketing. What worked last year may not work this year, and what works this year may not work next year. That’s why it’s important to stay on top of the latest healthcare marketing trends and strategies.

To help you do that, we’ve put together a list of the top 10 healthcare marketing strategies of 2020.

1. Personalized Marketing

One of the biggest healthcare marketing trends of 2020 is personalized marketing. Thanks to advances in technology, it’s now possible to personalize your marketing messages and content to a much greater degree than ever before.

2. Account-Based Marketing

Another big healthcare marketing trend of 2020 is account-based marketing (ABM). ABM is a targeted marketing approach that focuses on key accounts that are most likely to convert into customers.

3. Patient Engagement

One of the most important aspects of healthcare marketing is patient engagement. In 2020, there will be a greater focus on engaging patients through digital channels such as social media, email, and text messaging.

4. Content Marketing

Content marketing will continue to be an important healthcare marketing strategy in 2020. The key is to create high-quality, informative, and engaging content that will help you attract and retain patients.

5. Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) will continue to be an important healthcare marketing strategy in 2020. The key to success is to create keyword-rich content that is optimized for the search engines.

6. Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing will continue to be a powerful healthcare marketing tool in 2020. The key is to use social media to build relationships with patients and create a community around your brand.

7. Email Marketing

Email marketing is another important healthcare marketing strategy that will continue to be effective in 2020. The key is to create email campaigns that are targeted, relevant, and engaging.

8. Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising will continue to be an effective healthcare marketing strategy in 2020. The key is to create ads that are targeted and relevant to your audience.

9. Referral Marketing

Referral marketing is a powerful healthcare marketing strategy that can be very effective in 2020. The key is to create a system that incentivizes patients to refer others to your practice.

10. Traditional Marketing

While digital marketing is taking over, traditional marketing techniques such as print advertising, direct mail, and television advertising will still be effective in 2020. The key is to use these techniques in a way that complements your digital marketing efforts.

Keep these healthcare marketing strategies in mind as you plan your marketing efforts for 2020. If you need help getting started, contact a healthcare marketing agency.

healthcare marketing

The Importance Of Marketing In The Healthcare Industry

Published

2 years ago

November 8, 2022

Patricia Redsicker

The Importance Of Marketing In The Healthcare Industry

There’s no question that marketing plays a vital role in the success of any business, and the healthcare industry is no different. In fact, given the highly competitive nature of the healthcare industry, effective marketing can mean the difference between success and failure.

The first step in any successful marketing campaign is to identify your target market. Who are you trying to reach with your marketing efforts? Once you’ve answered this question, you can begin to develop a marketing strategy that will resonates with your target audience.

The next step is to create a strong branding strategy. Your brand is what sets you apart from your competitors, so it’s important to make sure that your branding is on point.Your branding should reflect the values of your organization, and it should be consistent across all of your marketing materials.

Once you have your target market and branding strategy in place, you can begin to develop your marketing mix. This mix will include the various marketing channels that you’ll use to reach your target market. Some common marketing channels in the healthcare industry include online advertising, direct mail, public relations, and events.

Finally, once you have your marketing mix in place, you need to make sure that you’re tracking your results. This will help you to see what’s working and what’s not, and it will allow you to make necessary adjustments to your campaign.

Marketing is essential to the success of any healthcare organization. By taking the time to develop a strong marketing strategy, you can ensure that your organization is on the path to success.

The healthcare industry is one of the most important industries in the world. It is responsible for the health and wellbeing of billions of people. Marketing plays a vital role in the healthcare industry. It helps to raise awareness of the importance of health and wellbeing and encourages people to take action to improve their health.

Healthcare marketing can take many different forms. It can be used to promote healthy lifestyle choices, to raise awareness of health risks, to encourage people to get vaccinated or to take up screening tests. It can also be used to promote the work of healthcare professionals and to encourage people to use particular healthcare services.

Healthcare marketing is a complex and challenging task. It requires a deep understanding of the needs and motivations of different groups of people. It also needs to be sensitive to the often sensitive nature of health issues.

healthcare marketing

The Impact Of Marketing In The Healthcare Industry

Published

2 years ago

November 8, 2022

Patricia Redsicker

The Impact Of Marketing In The Healthcare Industry

In a world where the average person is bombarded with over 5,000 marketing messages each day, it’s no wonder that healthcare marketers have to work hard to cut through the noise and reach their target audiences. But what exactly is healthcare marketing, and how does it differ from traditional marketing?

Healthcare marketing is the process of creating and executing a plan to promote a healthcare product or service. This can include everything from developing a new marketing strategy to creating and placement of advertising, public relations, and social media campaigns.

While the goals of healthcare marketing may be similar to other industries (increasing awareness, generating leads, boosting sales), the strategies used to achieve these goals are often very different. This is because the healthcare industry is heavily regulated, which means that healthcare marketers have to be very careful about the claims they make and the messages they send.

In addition, the healthcare industry is complex, with a wide range of stakeholders, including patients, doctors, insurance companies, and government agencies. This complexity means that healthcare marketers have to be very strategic in their approach, carefully crafting messages that will resonate with each of these different groups.

Despite the challenges, healthcare marketing can be extremely effective. When done well, it can help healthcare organizations to achieve their business goals, while also making a positive impact on the lives of patients.

If you’re interested in learning more about healthcare marketing, we’ve put together a list of resources that can help.

The healthcare industry is one of the most important and largest industries in the world. It is also one of the most complex and rapidly changing industries. This complexity is due to the many different types of products and services that are offered, the numerous regulations that govern the industry, and the constantly evolving technology.

The healthcare industry is also one of the most competitive industries. There are many different types of healthcare providers, from large hospital systems to small clinics, and each one is competing for patients. Marketing is a critical tool that healthcare providers use to reach and engage potential patients.

Healthcare marketing has evolved significantly in recent years, thanks to the growth of digital marketing and the rise of social media. These changes have made it possible for healthcare providers to reach a larger audience and to better target their marketing efforts.

Digital marketing in healthcare has a number of advantages. It is more cost-effective than traditional marketing methods, it is more targeted, and it provides healthcare providers with a way to track and measure results.

Social media is also playing a big role in healthcare marketing. It provides a way for healthcare providers to connect with potential patients and to build relationships. Social media can also be used to promote health awareness and to educate patients about healthy living.

The impact of marketing in healthcare is evident in the way that it is changing the way that healthcare providers reach and engage with potential patients. Marketing is no longer a one-way street; it is a two-way conversation. Healthcare providers who embrace digital marketing and social media will be well-positioned to succeed in the new healthcare landscape.